Schlossberg, Grosses Gewächs, Pinot Noir, 2016

Spicy, finely tuned and multi-layered, wonderful red and black fruit interwoven with aromas of iron, crushed stones, iron notes and fine pipe tobacco. This is ethereal and complex but also hugely seductive and poised, with a long haunting finish of fine sandstone and black cherry. Weightlessly balanced and effortless, with a stony core and a real sense of energy and momentum. The steeply terraced Schlossberg vineyard is one of the great German Pinot sites, with records showing red wine production here as far back as the thirteenth century.

Young Benedikt Baltes’ story is an interesting one. Born and raised in the Ahr and descended from a long line of winemaker and grape growers he was always destined to follow the Pinot Noir path. But not content to follow the family tradition of selling grapes to a co-operative, Benedikt set out in search of his own project, his aim being to make honest and transparent wines from great German sites. Unable to find vines in the Ahr, but with a number of vintages to his name with wineries in Germany and across Europe, it was in 2010 that the old state winery in Klingenberg was brought to his attention. Run down, not producing great wines, but with 10 hectares of excellent classified old vine vineyards, the opportunity was too good to miss and the price was relatively affordable. Neighbours like the Fursts had made it abundantly clear that the red sandstone soils of the tiny Churfranken region were ideally suited to Pinot Noir in the 21st Century, while the history books spoke of red wine production here dating back to the 13th century. Great things were clearly possible. A deal was done and Benedikt took keys to an institution that dated back to 1912, a new face with a historic estate to play with.

Fast forward to 2016 and the old vines are in great shape, biodynamic and organic certifications have been secured and Benedikt’s vision for elegant, site specific Pinot Noir has become a reality. Key to his vision is the desire to produce authentic wines that speak of the historic old vineyard sites he now tends to. This means using only native yeasts, raising the wines in 300 and 500lt neutral German oak barrels from trees felled within 50km of the winery and focussing on historic German Pinot Noir clones. “I want to make truly German Grosses Gewachs, not using French clones in French barrels. For me, German Pinot Noir can be quite like a Riesling. Riesling is intense and complex but not too rich in body and not too alcoholic. It is the soils that bring minerality and deepness to the German wines, our terroir isn’t that heavy, or that fruity – and I want to transport that finesse to my Pinot Noirs.”

With three Grosses Gewachs to his name, a top premier cru in Bergstadter Berg and excellent Ortswein and Gutswein Pinot Noirs Benedikt seems clear on his stylistic vision. These are wines of harmony and grace, excellent balance, polished but not worked textures and real character. They taste like German Pinot noir, made with great sensibility and refinement. We’re delighted to be bringing them onto these shores for the very first time.

Home to Horst Sauer, Franken lies in central Germany and was traditionally known as the centre for Germany's most serious Silvaner production. In the hands of Horst Sauer both Silvaner and Riesling are capable of producing excellent wines with greater power and structure than those found in the Mosel. Trocken wines are most common and can have superb intensity when produced here, but the BA's, TBA's and Eisweins, when produced are not to be missed.

Pinot Noir is the classic grape of red burgundy, whose greatest wines are concentrated in the east and south-east-facing clay/limestone hills of Burgundy's Côte d'Or. A notoriously temperamental variety, Pinot Noir has proved difficult to grow in certain climates and soils and will not tolerate over-cropping. The best examples have wonderfully expressive aromas and thrillingly pure bitter sweet red forest fruit and cherry flavours, developing truffle and game overtones with age. Outside of Burgundy, Pinot Noir has had great success in New Zealand, California’s Carneros, Oregon and the more marginal, cooler districts in Australia. Along with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir is also one of the major components of Champagne.

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Tax Status Explained

IB stands for In Bond. Wines that are stored In Bond have not had UK Duty and VAT paid on them.

Most of our wines are available for purchase under bond, as fine wines often need to be laid down in order to allow them to mature. Many clients choose therefore to store them in our bonded warehouse and pay the tax as and when they wish to get the wines delivered. Please note that Wines purchased In Bond can be exported to non-EU countries without the need for Duty and VAT to be paid.

DP stands for duty paid. If you wish to get wines delivered for drinking, the duty and VAT will need to be paid as it leaves its bonded state in the warehouse. The wine is then said to be duty paid.

All taxes must be paid in order for us to be authorised to ship or deliver wine (unless the wine is bonded and being moved to another bonded warehouse or being shipped directly outside of the EU.)

EP stands for En Primeur. These wines are currently held with the Estate and Domaine’s we work with and will be shipped in due course.